INTRO: 1. Mel Gibson’s movie called “The Passion of the Christ” has stirred a great deal of response throughout our nation…some I truly expected, some I find more disturbing.
a. It came as no surprise to me when the press, which glorifies the filth and immorality of Hollywood, to come out swinging against anything that would promote what Jesus did at Calvary.
b. But the most disturbing things I’ve heard is from so called ‘ministers’ who object to such a graphic depiction of what truly took place on Calvary.
2. I come to realize that this film flies in the face of what many churches have turned the crucifixion into… a more sanitized scene, sugar coated, a more politically correct cross…less the suffering, less the wounds, less disturbing to our more modern day “civilized” world.
a. In the process our faith has become bland, unthreatening and mediocre.
b. To abandon the blood-stained cross is to abandon the power of the gospel.
3. But let me make something quite clear to you tonight, Jesus didn’t merely die for you…he suffered beyond our wildest imagination.
4. You can have your kinder, gentler Calvary if you want…but give me that Blood-Stained Cross that I may never, never, never forget…
a. Every stripe that laid open his back.
b. Every indignity that was heaped upon him.
c. Every nail that pierced his hands and feet.
d. Every thorn that opened his brow and head.
e. Every blow that sent him reeling to the ground.
f. Every wound that ‘poured out his blood.’
g. Every ounce and inch of that cross where he ended it all.
5. A gospel that does anything less than manifest that cross has moved away from what is at the core of Christianity.
a. Paul made it clear that he wasn’t merely out to preach Christ, but was
2:2 …determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
6. Tonight I’m here to call the church back to that cross, to remind us that the preaching of that Blood-Stained Cross isn’t merely important but it is essential to the church.
a. How far have the modern-day church moved from preaching Calvary… we’ll preach prosperity, preach a Christianity that is devoid of suffering, preach faith…but let me tell you it would be hard pressed to find the early church preaching anything less that the ‘Gospel of the Cross.’
7. Paul makes it clear in our text what he means…
a. Calls it in verse 18 “The preaching of the Cross.”
b. In verse 23 he unapolegetically declare “we preach Christ crucified.”
c. In 2:2 he reveals it’s more than a message, but the focal point of his preaching… a holy determination to preach “Christ and him crucified.”
8. This is not merely Paul’s sentiment to one church but to the…
a. Galatians he declares…
Gal. 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
10. Not only is it the focal point of the early church, it is also the focal point of heaven throughout eternity.
Rev. 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
11. But what is the nature of this blood-soaked gospel, how can we expect it to be received… how are we to be steward of this powerful truth?
I. THE GOSPEL OF THE CROSS IS OFFENSIVE
a. May I say to you tonight, if you don’t shutter when you look at the cross… you’re looking at the wrong cross.
b. If you don’t find what he went through as shocking, then you’ve lost sight of what He really endured for you.
c. It shouldn’t surprise us to feel the way we do when we look at that blood-soaked scene called calvary, because our flesh finds that scene offensive and pleads for us to look away… but we just can’t…that’s the power of that cross.
d. Here in our text Paul reminds us that this gospel will never be embraced by this self-centered society… because this cross flies in the face of all that man stands far.
e. This gospel has always been an insult to our world, nothing has changed about that.
A. TO OUR RELIGIOUS SENSITIVITIES.
1. Paul says of this blood-stained gospel
Vs. 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock,
2. The Jew built their hope of salvation on the accumulation of righteous deeds and actions.
3. The cross insults the religious mind, by declaring that all your efforts are in vain without the cross.
4. The cross insults the religious mind by saying that the man who has lived a sin-filled life can be holy by simply falling at the foot of the cross.
5. The word here used for “stumbling block” is the greek word skandalon, it means that which hinders others, causes one to stumble. But it’s interesting to note it is the word in which we derive our word scandal or scandalous.
6. The cross is scandalous to the religious mind…in that it opens the doors of heaven for as many as will come.
7. The cross nullifies our religious efforts and puts the full weight on that Blood-Soaked Savior.
8. You cannot hope to face a holy God on the basis of your goodness…you misunderstand the gravity of your sins and the holiness of God.
B. TO OUR INTELLECT
1. Paul also noted that
Vs. 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
2. He started by saying in
Vs. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
3. The cross is an offense to our intellect… foolishness.
4. The greeks prided themselves on their philosophical pursuits.
5. They believed that the highest gain man would now…his salvation if you would could only be found in knowledge and education.
ILL. The greek philosopher Socrates said, “The secret to a successful society is education. If we can just give everyone a good education, then it must follow that the world will get better and better.”
6. Sounds familiar? We’ve been told that for generations.
7. The problem has never been ignorance but sin.
8. Men don’t rape, murder, steal, lie and cheat out of ignorance… but out of a sinful heart in need of the blood of that cross.
9. We’ve gotten smarter, but has our world gotten any better?
10. The cross declares that we are not smart enough to save ourselves.
11. The cross flies in the face of our wisdom, by proving that the foolishness of God is wiser than all of our PhDs put together.
12. The simplicity of the cross is more than our minds can understand…yet it’s simply all we need.
13. Stop trying to prove it to the intellectual mind-set… just lift Him up.
C. TO OUR PRIDE
1. Self-improvement has become the gospel of our generation.
2. Preachers have given into becoming motivational speakers telling people you can do anything you put your mind to.
3. But the cross insults us because it says you can’t do anything about your condition of sin.
4. It declares… you can’t change your condition without the blood.
5. It declares… there is nothing good in you, nothing you can contribute to your salvation.
6. It declares…us ‘sinners’ in need of a Savior.
7. The cross leaves us no room to boast…
Gal. 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
8. The only hand I had in calvary was the filth and cruelty of my sins.
9. To embrace that blood-soaked cross is to admit… I can’t but you already have!
10. Calvary must bring us to our knees if it will ever impact our lives.
11. Ever hear anybody say their pride has been wounded as if that is a bad thing?
12. Well at Calvary our pride takes a lethal, deadly blow.
D. TO OUR QUOTE “CIVILIZED” MIND
1. Barbarians invented this practice, but the Romans elevated it to an art form, almost, but it was considered such a heinous death that Roman citizens were not executed by this inhumane method.
2. The cross was an insult to the Romans.
3. Only the lowest of the low of criminals could die this way.
4. The cross shows us the depth of inhumanity that is still alive and well in our world.
5. It declares that we are not near as civilized as we would like to think.
6. It shows us what low sin has brought us to.
7. If you think our society today is any more civilized than the Romans of that die… you’re living in a dream world.
8. Our modern quote civilization says that we must be more tolerant and accept multiple ways to God and heaven… but the cross declares there is but one sacrifice, one way to salvation, one way to God.
II. YET, THE GOSPEL OF THE CROSS IS ATTRACTIVE
a. Not in the sense that it’s beauty attracts you…but it’s power draws us to it.
b. Hear the words of Jesus that declared…
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
c. Yes, there will be complaints from those who resist the scene at Calvary, but many of those who resist it the most, won’t be able to resist it.
d. God forbid, that we build our churches on programs, entertainment, beautiful facilities… but that we build on nothing but the Cross.
e. It may go out of style in many pulpits across America as they trade the real gospel for some self-help seminars…but as long as I breathe I will declare Christ and Him crucified!
f. True converts come not for gimmicks but because they’re drawn by the gospel of Christ crucified.
ILL. Michael Bird, a minister in Australia, tells of a well-known American preacher who gave some advice to an Australian congregation. He said, “Don’t tell people about the cross, it doesn’t work. That’s why Franklin Graham crusades are no longer affective. Just tell them God loves them and has a plan for them.”
g. What is it that draws men to that ugly blood-soaked sight.
A. IN IT’S EXTREME LOVE
1. Even the casual observer will realize that he did not have to do this…He was innocent, He was righteous, He was good.
2. But what grabs us in this act that changed eternity… is that we are a part of this nightmare… because it is our guilt that he is bearing.
3. Why do we need to reveal the cruelty and the extremes that took place there?
4. So, we can let the world know the greatest evidence of his love by just pointing them to that blood-soaked sacrifice.
5. He loved us with an extreme love… unlike anyone has ever or will ever love you!
B. IN IT’S EXTREME MERCY
1. It boggles our mind, how Jesus when nailed to a cross can cry “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
2. That cross cries out to all that hears… not matter what sin you’ve heaped upon His shoulders… there is forgiveness in that cross.
3. His blood still cries out today… “Father forgive them.”
4. You think you’re sin is too much for God… just look at what he went through at Calvary.
C. IN IT’S EXTREME VICTORY
1. The cross doesn’t look like success and power, nor does it look like victory.
2. But only Jesus can win victory through a blood-soaked cross.
3. I’m talking about a victory that is still spreading like wild-fire across our world.
4. No kingdom has ever conquered and subdues more nations and more devotion than that blood stained banner of Jesus Christ!
ILL. One a little girl was seen wearing a bright shiny cross, when someone stopped here and reminded her that the first cross was rugged or beautiful. But to that she responded “Yes, I know. But everything Jesus touches He changes.”
5. He used death, to bring us life.
6. He used suffering, to bring us healing.
7. He used judgment, to bring us grace.
8. We shutter at the pain of calvary… but we also celebrate it’s victory.
III. THE GOSPEL OF THE CROSS IS POWER-PACKED
a. Notice the contrast Paul uses in
Vs. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
b. Paul wrote this letter in Corinth to a church plagued by division,pride, sexual immorality, brothers suing brother… a real mess.
c. But Paul’s solution started by refocusing the church back on the message “of the cross.”
d. That message still has power to change our hearts and change our world.
e. Remember it is the “power of God.”
f. How do we get power in our churches…bring the gospel of the cross back.
A. SUBSTITUTIONARY POWER
1. Not a power that is found in our faith, but in the cross we’ve put our faith in.
2. It’s the power of the one who became our substitute.
3. Paul made it clear what that substitutionary power was on calvary in
Vs. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
4. Not only did he become at Calvary your sacrifice… but also become unto us… wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.
5. It has the power to be for us all we need to be a child of God.
6. I could preach the remainder of the night on Him as our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption… but time will not allow.
7. But let me tell you there is substitutionary power in that cross for you.
CONCLUSION: When I began planning for this series, there was no question where I was to start… I wanted to start with the Church. If I can stir your heart again about the power of that Cross then we can lift Him up as never before.
